Game Report

After falling to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night, the Montreal Canadiens hoped to get their first win of the 2019 Rookie Showcase on Sunday night when they played the Winnipeg Jets. Cayden Primeau took up residence in the Habs net once again.

Despite getting a few good power play opportunities in the game, the Montreal man advantage couldn’t convert yet again. In fact, the power play struggled even more on this night than it had the previous evening. They moved the puck well, but could only stay to the perimeter.

The Jets came out with a strong, physical, and aggressive style of play again, but unlike Friday night against the Senators, this time they were able to pace themselves and maintain a tiring pace for the entire game. Ville Heinola got them on the board first with a bar down shot from the blue line.

Not long after that, however, Montreal tied things up when Alexandre Alain accepted a very nice pass from Jake Evans and, as they drove hard to the net, flipped the puck up and over Griffen Outhouse‘s pads.

With both teams sharing the same tunnel to exit toward their respective dressing rooms, an already-chippy game turned into some tense moments leaving the ice surface, but the officials kept the teams separated.

The teams traded penalties in the second period, but Winnipeg was able to score shorthanded to restore their one-goal lead. In the final period, the tensions mounted noticeably after a dangerous-looking trip on Nick Suzuki came close to being a knee-on-knee hit.

Montreal tried everything to light a spark and tie the game once again, including splitting up Ryan Poehling and Suzuki, but the efforts went unrewarded. The Canadiens fell 2-1 in this game and now head back to Montreal without a win in the tournament.

#Habs lost the 1st game in the Rookie tournament by a score of 4-2 against the Sens last night.@FlyersRule had the opportunity to speak to Joel Bouchard, Ryan Poehling, Nick Suzuki, and Jake Evans following the game.